


Love Will Thaw

by battousai24



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Elsanna - Freeform, F/F, icest - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-05-22 15:55:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6085822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/battousai24/pseuds/battousai24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[ELSANNA - dl;dr] Anna has feelings for Elsa. She admits it to Kristoff and he tells her she needs to confess to her sister. How do you tell the Snow Queen you're in love with her, and she's your sister? (Rated T, for now.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Poor Kristoff

 

* * *

"Okay, so let me get this straight," said Kristoff, turning to Anna, "you're _in love_ with your _sister_?" Anna blushed, but nodded wordlessly. He took this as a cue to continue talking, and to try and make sense of it all.

"So that's _why_ you're breaking up with _me_?" he asked again, to which Anna replied with another silent nod. He breathed in deeply before exhaling through his mouth. This was a lot to take in. First, his ice business is threatened by the raging snowstorms in _summer_ , then he gets kicked out of Oaken's shop, then he travels to an ice castle with a klutz of a princess (wolf attack included) – whose sister apparently built with her powers – so that they could bring back summer, then gets almost smashed to pieces by a gigantic scary snowman (care of the sister – who is apparently the Queen of Arendelle – as well), and then they get fixed up by his troll family despite Anna already being engaged to a Prince from the Southern Isles, only to realize her heart had been frozen and so he brings her to her Prince Charming, Hans, who ends up betraying her, leaving her to die, and then almost kills her crying sister (who had been previously captured and locked away in the dungeon and was being all depressed because she thought had killed off her beloved sister, Anna, who was the only family she had left), at which time he realizes he actually loves Princess Anna, and so he's about to go to her and then maybe they can share True Love's Kiss to save her life, but then she goes and saves her sister from Hans' sword just seconds before she freezes solid, after which her heart thaws because of she committed an act of true love for her sister, and then Queen Elsa thaws the whole kingdom and everyone's happy, and he gets a new sled and an official job, and then he and Anna finally share a kiss and now... _this_ , all in a matter of days. He breathed in deeply again and then exhaled. This was definitely going to take some getting used to. It would take a lot of time and maybe a lot of alcohol... _definitely_ a lot of alcohol.

" _Wow_ ," he said, unsure what to say. While he wasn't exactly angry with Anna, he was still quite surprised with all that has happened recently. His normally uneventful life had become a series of unfortunate (some not so much) events in a matter of days, all because he had met this girl. He didn't really regret getting to know Anna, or her sister, the Queen, or Olaf and everyone, but this was just too much to take all at once. He wasn't exactly prepared to find out that his girlfriend, the Princess of Arendelle, was cultivating feelings for Queen Elsa, her _sister_. _Sister_. Anna and Elsa were _sisters_. That was supposed to bother him somehow. He just couldn't quite place _why_. There was a word for that, he knew it. He had heard Grand Pabbie say it once or twice. Sounds something like ice, he thought. _Ice_. _Iced? Ices? Icest? Ah, INCEST!_ So that's why it was supposed to bother him. _This_ was _incest_. It was _taboo_. This was a _forbidden_ kind of love. A love that rings true for Anna, surely, but it wasn't normal, that's for sure.

"Anna," he said softly, looking to Anna. She looked at him expectantly. Her eyes showed so much hope, hope that Kristoff would understand why she was calling off their relationship; hope that Kristoff would accept her reasons, though unconventional. He smiled at her reassuringly. He wasn't entirely sure he was okay with incest. With the trolls, it was sometimes necessary, but it was to reproduce. It's not like you find trolls _everywhere_ _._ With Anna and Elsa, they were both _women_. How could two women ever have a child together? And speaking of the Queen, was she aware of the consequences their actions might have on the kingdom? Did she even _care_?

"What does Elsa – I mean, the Queen, have to say about all this?" he asked. He didn't mean to sound so distant. He wanted to reassure her that he was still going to be her best friend. He wanted her to know that he would still stick by her side no matter what, that he still _loved_ her, but he _couldn't_ , at least not before he clarifies everything. _Maybe_ then, he'd be able to understand. _Maybe_ he'd get over it. _Maybe_ he'd be okay with it. _Maybe_ he'd even support them and protect their secret and be their best man or whatever they needed him to be. For now, he needed answers. He needed Anna to explain to him, to help him understand, so that he'd be able to accept it.

Anna blushed and opened her mouth for the first time in minutes. She closed them again without saying anything, seemingly unsure of what to say. Kristoff waited patiently, but Anna seemed reluctant to answer. She squirmed in her seat, as if nervous, and turned her gaze to the floor. He tried to understand why she acted that way, but in a few seconds, he realized the answer.

"Queen Elsa... She doesn't know yet, does she?" Anna's eyes looked up from the ground and at him, her eyes telling him more truth than words ever could. He sighed. She mirrored his actions.

"Well, uhm... Do you think she feels the same?" Anna was quiet again and then she shrugged her shoulders. Kristoff was a patient man, but if he had to keep guessing what Anna wanted to say, well, let's just say he found it much easier to speak to Sven. His best reindeer buddy was the most readable being in the world. Anna, well, while she was easier to read than most people – she did wear her heart on her sleeve – she wasn't exactly crystal clear on everything. After all, they've only known each other for days. He took another deep breath. This was going to be a long day.

"Look, Anna," he started, "I'm here for you. I promise you that. _This_... is difficult for me to deal with, but I'm trying. I can't say that I'm okay with it. I'm not saying I will never be okay with it. I -... What I mean is, _help me_. Help me _understand_ , so that I could help you in any way I can. This... won't be easy for any of us, the Queen included, _but_... we – me, Olaf, Sven – are here for you. We're your friends. But we can't learn to accept this... this _thing_ , if you don't help us understand." He stopped for a minute to gather his thoughts. He knew he _could_ accept this. Eventually, the pain of getting dumped would fade. He was actually thankful that Anna had been so honest to him about her feelings. She was such a gentle soul. She knew she would be lying and leading him on if she stayed with him and had feelings for someone else, whether or not that was her sister. And _that_ was why he _knew_ that he would be okay with it... maybe not now, but _someday_.

"You have to tell your sister," he said finally, as if it was the most logical thing to do. While he wasn't sure if the Queen had the same feelings for Anna, he knew that she'd at least understand. He knew that she'd know what to do. Kristoff saw how much the Queen cared about her sister, how much she _loved_ Anna. He saw the pain in her eyes when she found Anna frozen solid at the fjord days ago. He felt his heart break when he'd seen Anna as an ice statue, but he could only imagine the greater pain the older girl must have felt. So while he didn't know if the Queen's feelings for her little sister was purely platonic, he knew the best way to go about this was for Anna to confess her love, her _romantic_ love.

Anna was shaking her head at Kristoff's suggestion. She was obviously nervous about telling her sister. After all, she had only gotten her sister back, and now her feelings threatened to send Elsa hiding away again. She knew that this _should not_ have happened. Anna loved Elsa, and she was sure her older sister loved her too, but Anna loved Elsa _differently_. It was wrong on so many levels, but it felt so _right_. It felt _different_ , sure, but a _good different_. Her heart fluttered whenever Elsa held her hand, when the older girl would pull her into an embrace, when she'd give her goodnight kisses on her forehead or on the cheek. Anna would always blush at Elsa's tender affections, especially during the few times they'd say "I love you" to each other. Anna would always mean it more than sisterly.

Anna wasn't quite sure where all these romantic feelings came from exactly. She loved her sister from long ago, ever since they were children, but never like this. She'd knock on Elsa's door often, hoping she'd come out to play and build a snowman with her. Elsa would never answer her door and Anna would turn away, disappointed, but she never felt like this back then. She never wanted to kiss Elsa, with a lover's passion, and curl up in bed at night with her older sister, whispering sweet nothings into her ear as they succumb to the Sandman's magic.

She never used to stare at her sister, with mouth agape, as she walked, with her long legs just peeking from the slit of her beautiful ice dress. Oh, that time when she saw her in her ice castle, Elsa was simply majestic. She was gorgeous, to say the least. Anna had forgotten for a second why she had been there in the first place. Maybe it was all those years apart, and when finally laid eyes on her sister again, she had become this beautiful woman, this _Queen_. And then, later on, she finds her in the mountains, in a beautifully sculpted castle, in her sparkly ice dress, with her hair brushed away from her face and her hair braided down, her sister was perhaps the most beautiful thing she had ever seen... and she was _sexy_. She never thought a snow queen could ever be so _hot_. So _maybe_ , that's where it all started. _Maybe_ she knew vaguely how it all happened, but this was all too much all at once. She agreed with Kristoff. This was all too much to handle. How could she expect him to understand and accept all of this when she herself didn't quite understand exactly how she felt? She knew she _loved_ Elsa. She was _in love_ with her sister. But all this was so foreign. And now Kristoff is telling her to _confess_? It was hard enough for her to admit it to _herself_ , and then to _him_ , and now he wants her to tell _Elsa?_ How was she even supposed to go about doing that? _Oh, hi there, big sister, can I just say I just realized I'm so madly in love with you? And by the way, you look incredibly hot in that ice dress. Wanna fuck?_ Oh, Lord, that would be terrible. It was a terrifying thought indeed.

"I- I can't!" she exclaimed, finally finding her voice. Kristoff sighed. This was definitely not going to be easy.

"You should. And you will," he said, smiling, as he placed his hands on her shoulders. Anna looked at him, as if pleading with him, hoping he'd retract his words.

"Anna, you _have_ to tell her how you feel. She _loves_ you. How else are you going to find out if she feels the same way? Come on, what's the worst that can happen?" Anna swallowed the lump in her throat. What's the worst that can happen? She sighed. Kristoff definitely forgot the fact that her sister could send the whole kingdom of Arendelle into another "endless winter." While she knew he was right, she was afraid of what will happen – _may_ happen. She knew Elsa wasn't a terrible monster who'd want to hurt people, but she also knew that her sister didn't have the best control of her powers when she got upset or whenever it came to _feelings_ , in general. Anna needed to go about this as gently and _safe_ as possible.

"Fine," she said, with a nod of her head. She tried to calm herself. This didn't have to be so hard. This _could_ be easy. Kristoff gave her a pat on her back.

"That's a good girl!" he said, smiling. Anna felt a little better already. This was probably one of the hardest things she ever had to do, but she was glad she had Kristoff by her side. She knew she had hurt his feelings, but she was happy that he was still her best friend. Now she just had to figure out how to tell Elsa.

_How does a younger sister tell her older sister she's in love with her?_


	2. For Anna

* * *

Elsa rubbed her temples as she walked into her room. She had a terrible headache. It had been a long day spent talking to dignitaries. Trade settlements were discussed and settled. While she knew she made the right decision to cut off trade with Weselton (the Duke had been way out of line sending his men to kill her, after all), she knew Arendelle would suffer without it. She had to make do with the smaller trades. It was the least she could do, after destroying most of the crops when she cast an unseasonal winter over her land. And then there was that problem with Hans. That good-for-nothing Prince of the Southern Isles needed to be dealt with. While she was sure he would be reprimanded for his actions during his visit to her kingdom, she also knew that he would not be punished severely, simply because he is of the Royal Family. It didn't help, either, that Arendelle did not exactly have the best relationship with the Southern Isles. They were not enemies, but neither were they allies. How could she even be so sure his actions were done only of his own accord? She had to be wary of them, just to be safe. It was always better to be safe than sorry.

When she took her rightful place as regent, she knew that being the queen wasn't going to be easy. She watched her father go about his duties many a day. Her tutors, while patient, were stern with her, hoping to imbibe in her the sense of responsibility and proper behavior. Most days, she spent learning different languages and about the different cultures of the different monarchies, reading the history books of Arendelle, and books that would help her to rule the kingdom one day, when it was her time, but all that reading and learning, however bright she was, would never truly prepare her for the actual task. She often wondered how her father had done all he did. The people loved him. She could only wish they would love her, even just for a fraction of how they adored him. As it was, they were still afraid of her, of her powers, and what they can do. They weren't all so terrified anymore, but she knew that some still had lingering fears. She could not blame them. Even _she_ feared what her powers can do. _Fear_ was her weakness. When fear controlled her, she lost control over her powers. She couldn't lose control again, which is why she tried every day to get rid of the fear that eats away at her heart, the fear that threatens to trap her heart in its cold grasp.

And then, there was Anna. She loved her sister dearly. Elsa spent whatever free time she had with the younger girl, reading her stories, playing in the snow, teaching her how to skate on ice, and staying up well into the night reminiscing about their past and filling up the gaps of their childhood. Anna would tell her countless tales of her adventures, oftentimes of her biking mishaps and her attempts to get Elsa out of her room. Elsa found herself smiling at the fond memory of Anna hanging from several tied up blankets right outside her window. Elsa had called out to the servants to tell on her younger sister, afraid that she would drop to her death below. Anna hasn't changed much, she mused. The girl was still as carefree and childlike as she had been thirteen years ago. Elsa loved that about her sister. She was like summer – so full of warmth, joy, and fun. Whenever fear would threaten to get her in its grip, she would always think of Anna, and she could feel it melt away.

At the fjord, days ago, when Anna had thawed her own frozen heart by sacrificing herself for Elsa's sake, Elsa's frozen heart melted, too, if only a little. Elsa had forgotten about love, having been consumed by fear in her isolation. She had forgotten that it was, in fact, _love_ that had driven her to lock her doors and avoid her _best friend_ , her _sister_ , her _beloved_ Anna, and allowed her to be strong all those years, her resolve unwavering, though that _love_ had been overcome by _fear_ of hurting the ones she _loved_. Her intentions were good, selfless to some extent, but she knew that while she tried to protect the Princess from getting hurt by her seemingly uncontrollable powers, she had still managed to cause pain by closing the door on the younger girl. When she locked that door, she had also closed the door of her heart, locked it away, encasing it in a sheet of ice. Had she known back then that the key to controlling her powers was _love_ ; she would never have ignored Anna's calls from the other side of the door. But that was then. The past is in the past. She had to _let it go_. The gates were open now. The doors to both her room and her heart were unlocked, always open to let Anna in. They were together now and that was really all that mattered, right? _Right?_

A few knocks on the door took her away from her thoughts. Perhaps it was a good thing. She was about to go along a train of thoughts she wasn't supposed to. While it wasn't a foreign line of thinking for Elsa (oh, those many nights alone in her room, with nothing to do but dwell in her mind), it was something she really didn't want to come to light. She had been trying to suppress them since she first had them as a teenager. Sometimes, she would be unaware of them creeping up into her conscious mind, unable to control the _feelings_ , but the moment she is aware of them, she quickly buries them back inside. These were thoughts that weren't fit for the Queen of Arendelle. It wasn't even fit for _any_ man or woman, especially an older _sister_. She took a few deep breaths before answering the door.

"Who is it?" she asked, as she walked to her bedroom door.

"It's me, Anna." Elsa's heart fluttered. It was good to be able to see her sister after a tiring day of work. Anna had always been able to help her relax and feel better, no matter how bad her day may have been. She opened the door, greeting Anna with a smile. Anna returned it with a goofy grin of her own, before walking into the room.

"How was your day? Did you have a good time with Kristoff?" asked the Queen, sitting back down on her bed. She motioned for Anna to sit next to her, which the younger girl gladly did. She seemed a bit nervous, though, Elsa thought. Her sister was acting a little strange. Normally, Anna would come bursting into her room (oftentimes surprising Elsa to the point of papers or books flying out her hands; sometimes to the point of sending ice shards flying every which way), not being able to contain herself and going on and on about her day's adventures with Kristoff, Sven and Olaf. Elsa would always listen to her sister, no matter how previously busy she was with paperwork or with her books. She loved to indulge Anna. They had been apart for so long that she never wanted to miss out on the girl's stories. She was missing out on a lot already, as she was usually busy handling the kingdom's affairs. She didn't want to miss out on some good old sisterly bonding time too.

"Anna, is everything all right? Something seems to be bothering you," she asked again, as she noticed that Anna wouldn't be answering her previous question any time soon.

"Oh, uhm... Yeah – I mean, yes, I'm okay. And no, don't worry, it's nothing," said the younger girl, forcing a small smile on her lips. To be honest, Anna didn't feel okay at all. While she was a little upset with having to break it off with Kristoff (she knew it was the right thing to do), that wasn't really what was bothering her. Kristoff had told her that she needed to tell Elsa how she felt, and that's what she had set out to do. When she knocked on her older sister's door moments ago, she had the courage of a warrior, but as soon as the door opened and she had caught sight of the Queen in all her splendor, Anna's confidence flew out the window.

" _Anna_ , while I clearly have missed out on your life for years, I can still tell that something's on your mind. Whatever it is, I'm here to listen. You don't have to be afraid." Elsa's voice was soft and gentle, soothing to Anna's ears. She loved _everything_ about her sister. The way her eyebrows furrowed when she was worried. The way her lips would move and the way eyes sparkled; her every movement, intoxicating to Anna's senses.

Anna couldn't help but turn her gaze to Elsa's lips. They looked so lovely, so enticing. They were perfect, perfect to kiss. If only – maybe just for a moment – _NO_ , Anna scolded herself inwardly. This was not what she was here for. All that could be arranged later on, after Anna had confessed her love – her _romantic feelings_ – for Elsa, and if the older girl felt the same, even just a _little_ , _maybe_ then, Anna would be able to reward herself with a _kiss_.

"Elsa, I- I'm here because I have s-something to t-tell y-you," she stammered, suddenly finding the floor more interesting. Elsa brows furrowed even more. She didn't know what had gotten her sister so worked up, so _nervous_. Was it because of her? Did she make Anna _nervous_? Did she _scare_ her? Elsa was slowly finding herself in Fear's grasp once more. She noticed frost forming on the tips of her fingers and she fought hard to retract them.

"What is it, Anna? Is it something I've done? Kristoff, maybe? Tell me, and I'll do what I can to make things better." Anna looked up then and shook her head, knowing all too well that her sister had done nothing wrong. And Kristoff was such a great guy. He wouldn't do anything mean to her. Elsa was protective of Anna, and the younger sibling knew that. She placed a hand over Elsa's, hoping the older girl knew that nothing really was wrong. She was simply _nervous_. This whole confession thing was _nerve-wracking_ , after all. _Well, here goes nothing._

"M'here to say I love you," she mumbled, blushing incredibly, sounding almost inaudible. Had Elsa not been listening, she would not have caught that last part, but she had, and so she smiled at the blushing Anna, squeezing her sister's hand in reassurance. Her sister was so adorable sometimes. Anna never failed to amuse her.

"I love you too, Anna," she said, with a little blush on her cheeks. She thought it was sweet of her sister to tell her these things. She wondered why the younger girl was so nervous in the first place. Anna would always say she loved Elsa, and Elsa would always say it back. While Elsa still felt a little embarrassed at expressing her own feelings, she always tried her best to tell Anna.

Anna, in the midst of her nervousness, had completely forgotten that they often proclaimed sisterly love to one another. She felt her heart soar at the sound of her sister's words. Those words coming from Elsa clouded her rational thinking, and while the older girl had assumed it was their normal sisterly affections, Anna had meant it in the most romantically way possible, and had the Princess been thinking _straight_ , she would have refrained from acting the way she just did.

To say she was shocked at sudden feel of Anna's lips on hers was an understatement. Elsa's eyes grew wide as her younger sister nibbled on her lower lip. She gasped, unintentionally granting the Princess access to her mouth. She felt Anna's tongue dart inside as the younger girl pulled her face closer. Anna's eyes were closed. She was so lost in the kiss that she didn't notice the look on her sister's face. She did notice the room temperature fall, but she was also not aware of the icicles that flung themselves from Elsa's hands and embedded themselves on the wall. She moaned into the kiss, feeling the coolness of the older girl's mouth.

Elsa was unable to move. She had lost control of her powers just a moment ago. She was trying to figure out the situation she was in. Anna was here. Anna's _lips_ are on _hers_. Anna was _kissing_ her... kissing _her_. Her little _sister_ was _kissing her_. Her mind flashed all the possible warning signs in her head, but part of her, that part that she had kept buried for so long, had actually been enjoying this. That part of her wanted Anna to keep kissing her. That part wanted to _kiss_ Anna... her _sister_. It was when those thoughts surfaced did she find herself burying that part back into the deepest recesses of her subconscious. Anna was her _sister_. This was _wrong_. No matter how much she _wanted_ to, no matter how _good_ it _felt_ , this was _wrong_. And so she pulled away.

Anna was taken aback. She wasn't sure why Elsa had abruptly pulled away from her. Elsa was now standing a few feet from her, her face flushed. Wasn't she just kissing those pink swollen lips moments ago? She was confused. She had told Elsa she loved her and Elsa had said she loved Anna back. Anna kissed Elsa, and- and-... Anna's eyes grew wide in realization. Elsa _didn't_ kiss her back. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she had to contain herself. She didn't want to cry here, not right now, not in front of her sister.

"Anna, I- That was..." Elsa was fumbling with her words. She wasn't sure how to go about this. Her head was spinning with thoughts of her sister _kissing_ her. And what was _worse_ , was she actually _wanted_ to kiss her back. She rubbed her temples. This wasn't supposed to happen. What has she done? She had corrupted Anna with her hidden desires. She thought she had carefully hidden those thoughts, but now, they had corrupted her dear sister. This was all her fault.

"This is _wrong_ , Anna. We- we're _sisters_. _Sisters_ do not _kiss_ like _that_ ," she started, trying her best to explain to her sister (and remind herself) that this wasn't right. Her thoughts, her _feelings_ , and Anna's _feelings_ , these weren't right. _This_ was an abomination. _This_ couldn't _be_.

"But Elsa, I _love_ you!" Anna felt her heart being ripped to shreds. She knew this wasn't normal. She knew that this was _wrong_ , to society at least. But the way she felt, it was _right_. If it was _Elsa_ , it was _right_. She loved Elsa. _Love_. Love isn't _wrong_. Love is _right_. _Love_ is what has kept them both alive, had saved both their _lives_. She thought Elsa would at least _understand_. Of all people, she _trusted_ Elsa to understand. _Trust_. Now she felt so _betrayed_. Her _sister_ betrayed her. _No_ , she thought. Elsa would never do that. Perhaps Elsa was just surprised, _shocked_ , like Kristoff had been. _He_ came around, right? So Elsa _would_ , too, right? _Right?_

" _No_ , Anna. We are _sisters_. You love me. I love you... but not like _that_. Not _that_ way." Elsa was firm. She could not allow this. She could not allow herself to corrupt Anna any more than she already had. She had to _conceal_ her feelings for her sister. She _loved_ Anna, but not like that, not _romantically_. Her subconscious tried to argue, but she would not have it. She _couldn't_. If she let her feelings show, all hell would break loose. The people would surely revolt. The kingdom would crumble. Anna would be hurt. _Anna_. She had to _protect_ Anna. She had to protect her _sister_ , which is why she could not allow this. ' _Conceal, don't feel_.' It was back to the old mantra again. It was the only way.

Anna couldn't bear it anymore. The tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She could not stay here, not when her heart was crumbling with every word Elsa said. She had to get away, _now_ , before she herself crumbled.

Elsa was unaware of the tears that were welling up in her eyes until they poured down her cheeks, like waterfalls, before they turned to frost. She could not even look at Anna as the girl ran out of the room, her sobs echoing down the hallways from the door that had been left open from her departure.

It was in this solitude that Elsa let it go. She allowed herself a moment to break down and cry her heart out. Her _heart_. It had shattered along with every word she spoke. She knew she had also broken Anna's heart, but it was something she _had_ to do. She had to protect Anna. So, never mind that she wanted to hold the girl close to her, whisper sweet nothings in her ear to get her to stop crying. Never mind that she wanted to kiss all the tears away. Never mind that she wanted to offer herself to the _one_ person she _truly loves_. This was all for Anna's sake. _For Anna._

' _Oh, Anna, if only you knew just how much I'm in love with you, too.'_


	3. Elsa Issues

* * *

Anna was running. To where, she didn't really know. All she did know was that she wanted to get away. Her legs had taken her far away from Elsa's room as possible, even steering her away from her own chambers. She was sure she heard several servants call out to her; some scolded her for running in the halls, some asked if she was all right, and some had informed her that dinner will be ready soon and so she needed to get ready for the meal with her sister.

Her _sister..._ _Elsa_. The thought of her sent fresh tears pouring down her eyes. Her sister's words utterly crushed her and now she felt like her chest had been ripped open, leaving her vulnerable. She knew Elsa cared for her, and loved her, but sometimes her actions weren't exactly _beneficial_. First, Elsa had shut Anna out from her room, all those years ago, out of _love_ , sure, but it had hurt their relationship. They barely even _knew_ each other, despite living under the same roof for the last eighteen years. And _now_ , after Anna had opened up her heart to her sister, revealing the strongest feelings she ever had for _anyone_ , feelings that even she had a hard time understanding, but she _wanted_ her sister, the subject of her affections, to _know_. While Anna went through the possibility of Elsa not feeling the same way, she didn't think her sister would actually push her away like that. She thought that Elsa would at least _understand_. Elsa was shutting her out again. It _hurt_ , much more than it did the first time.

Anna knew that her sister had a lot of issues. She knew that, because she had them too. Elsa found it hard to handle _fear_. Anna hated being _alone_. Elsa was afraid to hurt people. She had kept herself in isolation because of it, especially _for Anna_. Anna loved being around people. She longed for company, to the point of even talking to the paintings on the wall when she was younger. In a way, Anna fuelled Elsa's fear, but she also took it away. As for Elsa, she provided Anna with the _warmth_ of her presence, which the younger girl had always dreamed of, but she pulls away, afraid to cause any harm, leaving Anna feeling _cold_ and _empty_. They complemented each other, like the Sun and the Moon, but their problems had them clashing, like Fire and Ice.

 _Fire and Ice_ , thought Anna. They were opposites. Anna was like a burning flame – her energy was always up there, her determination never wavering even when all seemed hopeless. She looked back to years past, and remembered how she never forgot to knock on Elsa's door, hoping every time that her sister would open up and they could spend the day together. Elsa never really came out. Even hearing her say " _Go away, Anna,"_ were few and far-between, but Anna never stopped. Anna kept knocking. It didn't matter if Elsa would just send her away again. She frankly didn't _care_ if she had to spend every day _trying_ , even when she knew she'd just end up disappointed. All that really mattered was that she wanted to let her big sister know how much she _missed_ her. Before this whole "falling in love" fiasco, she had already loved her sister, more than anyone. Perhaps, she loved Elsa even more than she loved her _parents_. Of course, she loved her Father, and her Mother. But Elsa was _different_. Elsa was her _best friend_. Her parents were always so supportive of her, even when she always got into trouble. They scolded her, like any responsible parent would, but they always did it so gently, that Anna knew they just wanted to keep her safe.

 _Safe_. Everyone always wanted to keep her _safe_. Was she that _fragile_? Her _parents_ , then _Elsa_ , and then _Kristoff_ , too, back when they dealt with the wolves. Then now, here was _Elsa_ , trying to keep her safe again. Safe from _what_? It was _Anna_ who had _confessed_. It wasn't like _Elsa_ forced herself on Anna. It was Anna's _lips_ that decided to plaster themselves onto _Elsa's_. It wasn't like _Elsa_ even kissed back.

 _That kiss_. It made Anna's lips feel tingly. As badly as that situation turned out, she couldn't help but smile a little, a faint blush creeping up to her cheeks as she remembered how soft Elsa's lips had been, how _sweet_ her mouth tasted, how much Anna _wanted_ to go _further_. Anna shook her head and exhaled loudly. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath for so long. Whenever she thought about Elsa, she always ended up daydreaming.

But Elsa had hurt her, and that still bothered her. She _was_ angry at first, but she knew her how her sister fretted at most things, and so the anger boiled down into simple annoyance. She hated how Elsa had treated her like a _child_ , as though she knew nothing about love (in fact, she knew far more that Elsa did, considering it was _Anna_ who taught Elsa about _love_ ), especially _this kind_. Anna knew it wasn't normal. She knew it wasn't something people would gladly accept. If Kristoff's reaction had any indication of that, she knew that the townsfolk would at least feel _bothered_ , if they ever even found out in the first place. Elsa had reacted quite _violently_. She didn't hurt Anna _physically_ , but the fear and panic in her voice earlier had shocked Anna. She knew Elsa's greatest weakness was her susceptibility to Fear, but the horror she found in those beautiful blue eyes was heart-breaking.

Elsa _feared_ for her. _For her_. _For Anna_. Anna understood that Elsa was protective of her, but she was really just being so, so... _overprotective_. Anna could also accept that Elsa didn't kiss her back because she didn't have the same romantic feelings as Anna had. _Not everyone you fall in love with falls in love with you, too,_ Anna thought, as she had learned it the hard way. _Twice_ – first, with _Hans_ , and now, with _Elsa_.

Anna cringed at that thought. She couldn't believe she had just likened her beloved sister to that _son-of-a-b –_ that... _jerk_. Elsa was different from Hans. _Way different_. Hans was a narcissistic manipulative pseudo-Prince-Charming-acting bastar- _jerk_. Elsa was just a scared little girl who had to grow up too fast to cope with all the things happening around her. She couldn't really blame her sister for being _afraid_ , but Anna was a big girl now. She was _eighteen_ , for crying out loud! She was old enough to know what her heart felt and what her mind wanted. What her heart felt was _love_ for _Elsa_. And what her mind wanted was _Elsa_. Did her sister even think that Anna hadn't tried to suppress her feelings? She _tried_ , _desperately_ , to hide it, even from herself. She tried denying it enough times to know that it's the _Real Deal_. It wasn't like Anna wanted to fall in love with her _sister_. Like most little girls, she grew up daydreaming of princes, and knights-in-shining-armor, and beautiful wedding dresses and having adorable little children she would build snowmen with. This whole thing wasn't a _choice_. Had she been given one, she would have chosen someone else. Maybe she wouldn't have even chosen a _woman_ , much more her _sister_. _Maybe_ she would have even gone for a prince from a far away kingdom, like in those fairy tales her mother used to tell her. Or _maybe_ , she would never have even split up with _Kristoff_.It simply _happened_. There had to be a limit for lying to yourself. So while she wasn't exactly happy with what she discovered within her, she accepted it. At least it was _Elsa_. After all, it could have been worse, right? It could have been _Olaf_... or forgive her, _Sven_.

Anna stopped running moments ago. She sighed and looked around, only to find herself somewhere in the courtyard. She saw one of the benches and laid down, watching the moon peek out from the clouds. The sky was turning dark. The sun had set quite some time ago. She frowned, hoping the sunset would have at least brightened her mood a little bit. The Sun. She was like the Sun – radiant, full of life and laughter and _love_. She enjoyed making people feel better. She liked seeing people smile and loved it when people laughed, especially when it's because of her. She especially _loved_ it when Elsa smiled, and even more so when she laughed. Elsa's smile was the most beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes on, and her laughter was music to her ears.

 _Elsa._ Her sister was like the Moon – intriguing, mysterious, and _beautiful_ , so much so that it was hard to look away. It was _mesmerizing_. _Serene_. _Regal_. Even from so far away, its beauty is unmatched. Just like _Elsa_. _Untouchable_. Anna spent so long trying to reach the older girl that it felt like _Heaven_ when they had exchanged glances and talked during the coronation. It was just so unfortunate that she had to ruin everything by being impulsive. What was she even thinking, marrying Hans? She had just met him. Sure, it felt like True Love, but it was all a lie. Comparing it to how she felt about Elsa now, it was almost _incomparable_. The love she thought she had for Hans was nothing but a speck compared to her feelings for Elsa. She knew this _thing_ with Elsa was _True Love_. It was definitely the _Real Deal_. And yet, her sister did not feel the same. She had always thought that True Love was something two people shared with one another, that when you loved someone _for real_ , they would automatically love you too, but she was wrong. _Again_. Maybe she wasn't one of the _lucky ones_. The lucky ones found their One True Love and lived _happily ever after_. The _unlucky ones_ , like her, found True Love, but get _rejected_. That was the only explanation for all this, right? She loved Elsa. Elsa loved her, too. That was all well and good, but she was _in love_ with Elsa. Unfortunately, _Elsa_ wasn't in love with Anna. And that was fine. Anna could accept that. Elsa was her _sister_. If she didn't feel the same way, then that's okay. It _hurt_ , but she would be okay. _So this is what Kristoff felt like..._

Anna sighed again. She hadn't even apologized to the guy for hurting his feelings. She knew Kristoff loved her, but she hurt him. She _rejected_ him, just like Elsa had rejected her. And here she was, wanting Elsa to apologize for being so harsh, when she had done exactly the same thing, only to _Kristoff_ , who was nothing but supportive of her. Kristoff had voiced out that he wasn't okay with the break-up. He had also been honest enough to say that Anna being in-love with Elsa bothered him, but he was still there to support her, trying to understand and accept the situation. He was _hurting_ , but he managed to remain friends with her, even to the point of giving her advice.

She felt bad now. Kristoff had been such a great guy, being supportive and understanding, while she was being childish. Elsa rejected her romantic feelings, but it wasn't like Elsa had really pushed her away and slammed the door on her face. Her big sister only wanted to protect her. Sure, she didn't do it in the best ways, but her intentions were always good. Elsa had done nothing but try to keep her safe, and Anna was being bratty. She wasn't _fragile_. She was sure Elsa knew that too. Elsa just cared about Anna, so maybe that's why she was harsh early on.

Anna sat up, barely noticing that it was dark out. By now, the stars were twinkling in the sky. She knew what she had to do. She would apologize to Kristoff tomorrow, and she would thank him for his support. For now, though, she had to talk to Elsa. She would tell her sister that while it hurt that Elsa didn't feel the same way, she was still Anna's _sister_. It would take some time, but Anna could accept that they couldn't be together, because Elsa only saw her as a sister. Anna smiled, getting up from the bench. She would return to the castle and find her sister. She would patch things up with the older girl and everything would be back to normal. After all, before all this, they were _best buddies_ , weren't they?

' _Everything's going to be all right, Elsa. It's all going to be okay, right?'_


	4. Olaf It Off

* * *

After Anna left, Elsa felt _vulnerable_. She had broken down into tears. She did not really mean to hurt her sister so terribly by saying so many awful things to her. And while she remained steadfast in her decisions, Elsa knew she could have gone about things differently. But she was _frightened_ , and that had caused her to lose control yet again. Anna's words were causing her well-hidden feelings to resurface and it had provoked her to lash out. The younger girl's feelings for her were, at the least, _inappropriate_. She could not let Anna think it was in any way okay. Her own emotions were in a mess. How could Anna be so vocal about her _perverse_ love for her? It made her feel so _impure_ , so... _dirty_. Deep within her heart, Elsa felt the same for Anna, but she would not – _could not_ – allow herself to act on those feelings. She could not allow herself the freedom to even let those feelings come to light. She had practiced concealing those feelings ever since she was a teenager. She could not give into the temptation now.

She turned her attention to her bedroom wall. It was still covered in spikes of ice from when Anna kissed her. The rest of the walls and the floor were also frosted over. _That kiss_. Elsa touched her lips, remembering the _sinful_ , and yet so _wonderful_ , feeling of Anna's mouth on hers. Her sister had pushed her _tongue_ past Elsa's lips, and had rolled it around her mouth as if _tasting_ her. Elsa blushed. Anna had been so _bold_. Elsa could only wish she could be like that. Her eyes widened in realization of where her thoughts were leading her. She shook her head, burying them deep down once again. She had to get her mind off the incident. It didn't help her to think of Anna right now. She needed to distract herself from thoughts of her _sister_ , especially her sister's _lips_... on _hers_. With a wave of her hand, the icicles and the frost thawed away. She looked at herself quickly in the mirror, checking to see if she looked presentable, and then left the room, heading for her study. Perhaps some paperwork or some reading would be able to calm down the raging storm inside her. _It had to_.

Elsa was thankful that the hallways were fairly empty. Her eyes felt a little swollen from the crying and she didn't want any of the servants to see her like that. It was almost time for dinner, but she wasn't feeling hungry at all. She wanted to avoid having to run into the staff because then she would have to let them lead her to the dining hall. They would probably refrain from asking her what was wrong, but she knew they would speculate, and speculation was probably worse, especially when she felt so guilty about what transpired between her and Anna.

When she reached her study without incident, she locked the door and headed for the wooden desk. She sat down on the chair and exhaled loudly. She felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She wished she could just do what she had done years before and isolate herself from the world. She knew it was _cowardly_ and _irresponsible_ , but she felt so _exhausted_. She wanted to get away. For a moment, she thought of spending some time in her ice castle on North Mountain. Perhaps she would for a few days. It would be good for her, she thought, being away from Anna for a while. It would help her compose herself; help her conceal her feelings for the younger girl. It would also probably give Anna more time to spend with Kristoff. Perhaps it would even be good for the Princess. It would take her mind off Elsa, and maybe she would realize just how _crazy_ her feelings for her sister had been.

Elsa sighed. She came to the study to distract herself from thoughts of her younger sister, but here she was, _yet again_ , thinking of the strawberry blonde. No matter how much she tried, all thoughts would lead to Anna. Even before the kissing incident, Elsa would always, _always_ , think of Anna in the end. She never really gave it much thought before. She loved her sister dearly. She ignored the romantic feelings deep within her heart. She had always just told herself she just really missed her sister, after all those years apart. She did not – _could not_ – allow herself to feel anything more than familial love for her sister, and yet, here she was, still thinking of that kiss... and those _lips_ ; those _luscious_ lips. And how Anna's _tongue_ had entered her mouth; how Elsa wanted to wrap her lips around it, _suckle on it_ , and elicit a moan from the younger girl...

She whimpered at the thought. Her cheeks flushed as she caught herself thinking so boldly. She had just _fantasized_ about Anna, her _sister_. She groaned loudly. This was terrible. She buried her face in her hands, hoping to calm herself down. This was not going according to plan. She was supposed to get some work done, not think about Anna, and then leave the room a better person – a _non-incestuous heterosexual older sister_... but she just couldn't think _straight_.

A poke on her leg stirred her away from her self-deprecation. Her head shot up from her hands and looked down beside her, surprised that someone had been there. She saw twig-like arms and knew exactly who it was. While she wondered how he could have gotten there after she locked the door, it was good to not be alone, especially when she had such overwhelming thoughts trying to consume her.

"Olaf? What are you doing here?" she asked, to which the cheerful snowman smiled at her. She smiled back at him, and indulging him in a hug when she saw him extending his arms. She could hear him sigh in contentment and she couldn't help but feel a little relieved at his actions. The snowman loved all things warm, and yet here he was, hugging her, the "Snow Queen."

"Hey, Elsa! I was here when you came in. I was actually waiting for you because I wanted to talk to you about something," he said, his voice as cheerful as ever despite the seriousness of his tone. He seemed excited, like he couldn't wait to tell her whatever it was. Elsa gave him a small smile, thankful for his bubbly personality. He always knew how to cheer people up, oftentimes without even knowing it; saying the most witty and inappropriate remarks, and making such hilariously adorable facial expressions.

"What is it, little guy?" she asked. Elsa could only wonder what the snowman wanted to talk to her about. Could it be about his personal flurry? Sven? Kristoff? _Anna_? Elsa blushed at the thought of her sister, the memory of the kiss flashing through her mind once again.

Olaf noticed Elsa spacing out a little. He noticed the blush on the Queen's cheeks and decided he would ask about it later on, after he told her about his plan. He wondered what she was thinking about, though, since he knew that Elsa didn't really have any male friends other than _Kristoff_ , and even then, they did not talk often. She didn't have any suitors just yet either, so it couldn't be that. Perhaps it was Anna? ' _Must be Anna_ ,' he thought, smiling. After all, the Princess would always manage to get the Queen flustered. He thought it was really sweet for them to be so close again. While he wasn't there during their isolation from each other, he could tell both girls never wanted to be separated again.

"Uhm, _Elsa_? While I don't want to bother you when you're thinking about Anna, I really need to ask you a favor. It's about your ice castle... and _Marshmallow_." Elsa gasped and blushed deeper. How did he Olaf know it was Anna she was thinking about? ' _Was it that obvious?_ ' she thought to herself. She breathed deeply, composing herself.

"What about my ice castle and Marshmallow?" she asked, ignoring his comment about Anna. Olaf noted the omission, but pretended not to notice, hiding behind his cheery smile. He wondered if something had happened between the sisters. Could they have had a fight? He hoped not. He loved Anna and he loved Elsa. They were his _friends_. He even considered them his _parents_ , after all. Sure, Elsa created him with her powers, but they had made him when they were children.

"Well... I was wondering if I we could borrow your castle? Technically, Marshmallow is my big little- _brother_ , right? And I'm sure he's awfully lonely out there on his own, and since you aren't really staying at the castle, I thought maybe I could keep him company for a few days. We can talk about _summer_ , and the smell of _flowers_ , and beautiful _butterflies_ , and –" Elsa lifted a hand up, cutting him off. She chuckled a bit and smiled at him, nodding. It was nice of Olaf to remember the snow giant, despite the fact that Marshmallow had chased him off a cliff, along with Anna and Kristoff. Elsa felt bad about almost forgetting about the big guy, when she was the one who created him. It was also funny how Olaf regarded him as his younger brother, but when she thought about it, it was partially true.

"Of course you can, Olaf. Just make sure you two don't tear up the place. I did _build_ that castle. And do take care, okay? He gets a little feisty, after all." Olaf beamed at Elsa for granting his request. He was happy to be able to spend some time with Marshmallow and hopefully, he'd be able to get to know his brother.

"Thank you, Elsa! This is _great_! I know he seems really scary and he does do crazy things when he's mad, but I'm sure he's a real softy inside, just like you, right? After all, you made him, like you made me! And I guess, like Anna with you, I just want to be able to get to know him. Maybe we could even be _best friends_ , just like you and Anna are! And I may not really know him yet, but I _love_ him 'coz he's my _brother_. I'm sure you know what I mean, right? Anna loves you, after all. And you love Anna too, right?" Elsa stared wide-eyed at Olaf. He was still smiling widely, showing off his one snow tooth. He was much like Anna; talkative, bubbly, innocent and child-like. He also knew much about what love was, probably even more than she or Anna did. ' _An act of True Love will thaw a frozen heart,'_ she had heard him say back at the fjord days ago. ' _Love. Love will thaw,'_ she thought to herself again. Olaf seemed like a goofy somewhat-airheaded snowman, but he often said things that made him seem far wiser than her, or Anna, or Kristoff. And it was his words now that struck a chord in her. Olaf's words echoed in her head.

' _I'm sure he's awfully lonely out there on his own...'_

 _Loneliness._ Elsa knew that feeling so well. She guessed that Anna did, too. They were separated for so long. She had pushed Anna away for fear of harming her, but she _promised_ not to do so again. And yet here she was, trying to push her sister away again. She had even planned to run away to her ice castle so she could avoid Anna.

' _I know he seems really scary and he does do crazy things when he's mad, but I'm sure he's a real softy inside...'_

Her powers were _fearful_. She was _terrified_ of losing control of it, but Anna never showed any fear. Even when Anna was a child, she always regarded Elsa's powers as something _beautiful_ , something to be _awed_. She would always coax Elsa out of bed just so they could play with the magical snow in the ballroom. Even that day when Anna had gone to her ice castle to get her to come back to Arendelle, Anna was not afraid. It was Elsa who was scared back then. And even when her ice struck Anna's heart, her younger sister did not show any fear... only _pain_. There was hurt in her eyes, but Elsa could tell even then that it was more for being shut out than the actual pain of her heart being frozen.

' _Anna loves you, after all. And you love Anna too, right?_ '

Anna had always _believed_ in her. She had always _trusted_ Elsa with her life. From the time they were children and at the ice castle, and at the fjord... and even until earlier, when Anna had confessed her romantic feelings for her, her trust in her older sister never faltered. Anna _always_ believed that Elsa would not hurt her, and even when Elsa did, she always believed the older girl never meant it. Anna was always quick to forgive her. Anna _loved_ her. She loved Anna too, right? So why was it so hard for her to just believe in Anna? _To trust her?_ After all, the girl had laid down her life for her. Was that not enough proof of her love?

Elsa knew that she had done wrong to Anna. She would have to _apologize_ for her outburst. She could not keep treating her sister like this every time she was _scared_ or _angry_. Sure, Anna had romantic feelings for her, but that wasn't a reason for Elsa to treat her so badly. It wasn't like Elsa didn't feel the same way, anyway. While she always buried her own feelings deep within her heart, she _knew_ that she loved Anna with every fiber of her being, and she _knew_ that her love was every bit as _romantic_ as Anna's was. She felt it in her _kiss_. Anna had kissed her with so much _passion_ that Elsa could feel the _love_ her sister felt for her... but Elsa had pulled away. Of course, it was just the right reaction, considering how wrong the situation was. No matter how much Elsa was _in love_ with Anna, and no matter how much Anna was in love with Elsa, it didn't change the fact that it was a _forbidden_ kind of love. No matter how _good_ the kiss felt, and no matter how much Elsa _longed_ to feel Anna's lips on hers again, she knew it was _not right_. There were far too many consequences. Still, it wasn't _right_ to shut Anna out. Before falling in love, they were already sisters who loved each other, right? Surely, they could work something out together. ' _Together_.' Elsa smiled at how right that sounded. Now all she needed to do was look for Anna.

Olaf smiled to himself when he noticed Elsa lost in her thoughts again. His words must have gotten to her and he was thankful that it seemed to have its desired effect. He didn't know what Anna and Elsa's fight could have been about, but he did know that the two loved each other so much that it would be hard for them to stay mad at each other. They just needed a little push. He walked away quietly, leaving the Queen to her thoughts. He looked back at Elsa as he reached the door and hoped that whatever the problem was, the sisters would figure it out. After all, it was _True Love_ that they had for each other, and for the first time in forever, they were together. Between them, they could conquer _anything_.

_For the first time in forever, we can fix this hand in hand._


	5. Marshmallow Fluff

* * *

Anna fiddled with her fingers as she walked up the steps to the castle. While she was sure of what she wanted to tell Elsa, she didn't know how to put her thoughts and feelings into words, or at least words that wouldn't come out wrong. Unlike her perfect sister, she wasn't very articulate, and her words often fumbled out of her mouth like wildfire. She'd blurt out whatever thoughts were in her mind, often voicing out even those thoughts and feelings as she was experiencing them. Anna furrowed her brows in frustration, trying to form decent-sounding sentences in her head. She didn't have to be as eloquent as Elsa, but hopefully, she could get her point across.

A few servants greeted her along the way, some asking her if she was joining her sister at the dining hall for dinner in a few minutes and others told her she should get ready as they were about to go and fetch the Queen as well. Anna paid them little attention. She went straight to her sister's room and raised her hand to knock on the door. _Knock, knock, knock._ It should have been that easy, but like in the ice castle on North Mountain, she hesitated, suddenly unsure of herself. What if Elsa did not want to speak with her? What if she shut her out again? _What if... – oh, stop it, Anna. You can do this. You were born ready!_ She breathed in deeply and let it out slowly, calming her nerves.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Anna held her breath for almost a minute, squeezing her eyes shut as she anticipated her sister's voice saying, " _Go away, Anna,"_ but it never came. In fact, it was like all those years ago again. She had always knocked on Elsa's door, rarely getting a reply, and even when she did, it was always to decline. Anna sighed. Elsa was shutting her out again. Memories of the past kept flashing in her head. She remembered the pain. She remembered the disappointment. She remembered... She shook her head. No, she wasn't going to give up. She wasn't giving in to the painful memories. Just like the past, she would remain steadfast and keep trying. So what if Elsa didn't open the door tonight? Perhaps she was too upset to talk or she was probably resting. She was, after all, tired from all the work she had to do prior to their fight. Anna would try again later and then maybe tomorrow morning. Elsa was always an early riser. Perhaps Anna would get up just as the sky would wake up and knock on Elsa's door. Surely, her sister would appreciate her waking up early just to make up for the tragedy of the previous night, _right?_ Anna nodded to herself. She'd show Elsa that she wasn't defeated so easily. She loved her sister. She wasn't going to lose her again, especially not like this. If Elsa did not return her romantic feelings, then so be it. That she could live with. Without Elsa, however, she was afraid she would die.

"Anna?" Anna's head whipped up at the sound of her name. She stared at the door in front of her. It remained closed. There was no sign of it being opened, either. She tried turning the doorknob, but the room was locked. Anna sighed. Was she hearing things? Did she just imagine her sister calling out to her? And _why_ was Elsa's door _locked_? Was she that _mad_? She could feel tears threatening to fall from her eyes again. She leaned her forehead against the door, shutting her eyes, willing the tears away as she tried to get those haunting memories from coming back to her now.

" _Anna?_ " It was her name again. Was she really that messed up that she was now hearing things? A tug on her dress wheeled her away from her thoughts. She looked down and saw Olaf, looking at her with worried eyes.

"Anna, are you okay?" he asked. Hearing his voice again, she realized that it wasn't Elsa that called out to her after all. It had been Olaf. He must have been trying to say hello while she was so focused on Elsa's door. Anna gave him a sad smile as a reply. He replied with a frown.

"What's wrong? Did something bad happen?" he asked. Anna didn't answer. She wasn't sure how to tell him about her and Elsa's current situation. While she knew she would probably have to leave out details of her _feelings_ , she wasn't sure that she would be able to keep herself from blurting it out accidentally. Apparently, she didn't have to say anything.

"Did you have a fight with Elsa?" he asked, which surprised Anna, her eyes growing wider. Olaf gave her a reassuring smile. He knew there had probably been some kind of argument between the sister's, having just talked to Elsa. However, with Anna, it was far too obvious. Her eyes were red from much crying. Her cheeks were flushed and her smiles weren't genuine. Olaf knew immediately with Anna that things were probably more serious than a little petty fight. When Anna nodded, he gave her the warmest hug he could give and smiled at her, hoping to cheer her up a bit. She seemed like she was on the verge of crying again, as she would look keep looking back at Elsa's door.

"Was it bad?" Olaf asked, unsure if he should really be asking that question. Anna would normally speak up about her frustrations, but right now, she kept quiet. What he really wanted to ask her was what the fight was about, but he knew it wasn't really his place to do so. When Anna nodded again, he held her hands in his own, hoping that although he had twigs for arms, it would soothe her, if only a little. Anna gave him another sad smile, to which he smiled back, looking up at her with worried eyes.

Anna couldn't help but keep looking back at her sister's door. It hurt that Elsa would shut her out again, after everything. Anna was worried she had ruined everything between them, and to think they were doing great so far. They had just started to get to know each other again, and now, they were going to be separated again. This time, it wasn't because of her sister's ice powers, but it was because of Anna's feelings. She wanted to be angry with Elsa, for shutting her out. She wanted to be angry with Kristoff, for telling her to confess. She wanted to be angry with herself, for having more than platonic feelings for her sister. It was frustrating, wanting to be mad at the world, but she knew that wasn't the way to go about this. She knew better than to put blame on people, even herself. She hadn't meant to feel this way. It wasn't like she wanted all this, but now that she did, she wasn't going to deny it either. She wouldn't lie about it, at least not to herself, and not to Elsa. As wrong as it was when she kissed her sister all of a sudden, she didn't regret it. She didn't regret telling her about how she felt. She was only being honest. And she didn't regret falling in love with her. She didn't regret loving Elsa. She never will. _So this is True Love._

"Hey, Anna, do you know I'm going to be staying at Elsa's ice castle for a few days? I'll be spending some time with Marshmallow," said Olaf, his voice sounding innocently cheerful. Anna looked at him, somewhat surprised at the sudden change of topic, but she was thankful for it. Thinking of Elsa was too painful at the moment. She knew she had to find Elsa, but she couldn't just brush off the cheery snowman. She just couldn't burst his bubble, and so she indulged him.

"Marshmallow?" she asked, unsure who he was talking about, but then it dawned on her. _That snow giant? Why would he –_ Her thoughts were cut off when Olaf started speaking again.

"Yep, he's my little brother, remember? Elsa made him after she made me, so even though he's really really big and all, he's still my little brother, and I should be spending some time with him, making sure he's okay and doesn't get into any trouble. You know how he can get all feisty. He kind of has a bad temper, but you already know that. I swear, if I leave him all alone out there, he's bound to do something stupid and he'll probably regret it. And I don't want him to be lonely, so I thought I'd keep him company, and keep an eye on him, too!" Olaf seemed really excited about going to see the Marshmallow, the snow giant. Anna smiled at him. It was hard not to, when the snowman was gushing out about spending time with his brother. It reminded Anna of his love for summer. _He must love Marshmallow as much as he loves summer,_ she thought, which made her smile grow. Olaf didn't seem to notice her lack of input, however, and continued talking.

"I know he's really strong and powerful, but I'm sure he'd appreciate it if someone else would take care of him for a change. And I'm sure he'd enjoy the company. Who would want to be alone, after all, right?" he said again, this time looking at Anna expectantly, as if trying to gain her approval. Anna nodded and grinned at him. His words, however, were starting to sink into her.

' _I don't want him to be lonely...'_

Elsa had been all alone all those years. Sure, Anna was oftentimes lonely, but she was still able to spend more time with her parents, as well as interact with the staff. Elsa got visits from their parents, but they never spent as much time as they did with her. Anna got to go out in the castle gardens, smell the flowers, scatter the falling leaves and play in the snow. Her sister mostly just stayed in her room, only leaving it when she had to go to lessons with her tutor. And even then, those lessons weren't exactly what you called fun. _She must have been so lonely..._

' _I know he's really strong and powerful, but I'm sure he'd appreciate it if someone else would take care of him for a change...'_

Elsa is strong. She's powerful. She's the Queen, after all. Plus, she has ice powers. Her sister was always busy taking care of everything, her included. Being the Queen, she had to oversee the kingdom's affairs, go to meetings regarding trades and other political business. Being the older sister, she had to keep an eye on Anna, make sure she was safe. Anna felt a little guilty for that. She was always wreaking havoc around the place. Although her antics were much more toned down from when she was a child, she would still sometimes royally mess up, like when she got engaged to Hans on her sister's coronation day. Her sister already had much to do and she didn't do anything to ease her stress. _If there is some way I could help her. Maybe I could lighten up her load..._

' _Who would want to be alone, after all, right?'_

Elsa had locked herself up in her room all those years ago, and she was doing it again now. Anna turned to her sister's door. She would not let her sister shut her out again. She wasn't going to give up. She wasn't going to let Elsa be lonely. She wasn't going to let Elsa be alone anymore. She would make sure to let her sister know that no matter what, she would stand by her side. _Always._ _Forever._

Anna knocked on Elsa's door again, determined to get her sister to open the door this time. When the door remained closed, she breathed deeply, trying to gather her thoughts. She opened her mouth, about to say all that she felt, hoping that her words would not fall on deaf ears, but Olaf had cut in.

"Anna? Why are you talking to Elsa's door?" he asked innocently, as if it was the strangest thing in the world. Anna looked at him, confused as to why he had cut her off.

"I'm trying to get Elsa to open the door. She's locked me out again!" she said, determination evident in her voice. Olaf still looked at her strangely.

"What? _You_ said nobody wants to be alone, or lonely, so I'm trying to tell my sister that she'll always have me by her side!" When Olaf continued to stare at her, she grew frustrated.

" _What?_ Why are you looking at me like that? I'm trying to talk to Elsa here," she said, growing a little angry with the snowman.

"But Elsa isn't here," he said simply, like it should have been obvious. Anna blinked.

"Ohhhh," she said, blushing now. So _that's_ why the door was locked. Olaf nodded and giggled.

"Where is she?"

"She was in her study when I talked to her about Marshmallow. She looks kinda sad. Maybe you should talk to her," he said, gesturing down the hallway, where he had come from. Anna smiled at him and gave him a hug. The snowman always acted so strange, but he always meant well. In fact, he had made Anna feel better so effortlessly. He had even said a few things that cleared her head about Elsa, even if he had been talking about Marshmallow, and she was thankful for that.

"Thanks, Olaf. I'll go talk to her now. Have fun with Marshmallow," she said, giving him another hug before standing straight up and proceeded down the hallway. He smiled and waved goodbye as she started to walk away.

Anna was smiling as she walked towards the study. She was going to talk to Elsa. She would tell Elsa that even if she had romantic feelings for her, she'd still be her sister. Nothing would have to change just because Anna was in love with her and Elsa didn't feel the same. It was going to be okay. They were going to be okay. If they were together, everything would be all right.

_We only have each other, just you and me._


	6. We Know Better

 

* * *

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Elsa?"

It was Anna's voice. Elsa, who was leaning over her desk and hiding her head in her arms, shot up immediately. She felt her heart almost stop. _She's here_ , she thought, _what am I going to do?_ Elsa knew she was going to have to face her sister eventually. Either she would have that talk now, get things over with, or they would have to go to the dining hall and eat dinner together in awkward silence and then also have the talk afterwards anyway. If she had it her way, she would've shut herself in her room and hide away for a few days, but she knew that would be childish, and it would be unfair to Anna. She promised never to shut her out ever again, and she was going to keep that promise. Taking a deep breath, she finally stood and walked to the door. When she opened it, she was greeted by a face so adorable it made her heart skip a beat. Outside in the hallway stood Anna, chewing on her lip, feeling as nervous as Elsa probably was, and swaying on the balls of her feet, as if to keep herself from running away. The sight reminded Elsa of times when they were younger and Anna felt guilty about doing something wrong or getting into a messy accident. Their parents would always seem to give in right away because they all knew that she never really meant any trouble. And now she was feeling the same way. She gave Anna a small smile, hoping to calm the younger girl's nerves.

When Anna saw the reassuring expression on her sister's face, she shyly smiled back and entered the study, following Elsa as she walked back towards her desk, closing the door behind her. There was an awkward silence between them. Neither was sure of what to say or how to express their feelings, and they couldn't help but recall the last moment they were together in the same room. They were both thankful of the dim lighting. Thanks to the dying embers in the fireplace, their slightly flushed faces were hidden from each other. They were remembering the events that had previously taken place – the confession, the kiss, and the feelings that surfaced – and while they both wanted to make amends, they did not know how to start a conversation. And so they stayed in that silence, each locked in their own thoughts, hoping to find the words to say to one another.

Elsa knew what she wanted to say. She was so sure she could just go right out and give Anna the speech she carefully constructed while alone, but when she saw her sister standing in the doorway, the words had escaped her. The memory of the kiss came flooding back, and her feelings threatened to escape their shackles. Anna's lips seemed to have awakened the part of her that she made sure to lock away all those years ago. Elsa _liking_ the kiss was an understatement. She wanted nothing more than to feel Anna's lips on her own once again, but she had to hide it. She had to pretend that she did not feel anything but pure innocent love for her sister, simply because what she truly felt was _wrong_. Incest was wrong. It was forbidden. There was no place in the world for two sisters who love each other as lovers do. They would be labeled as monsters, and she never wanted Anna to experience being called as such. Elsa knew the pain of being isolated because of her powers, and the hurtful glares of people who deemed her evil. She did not want her dear sister to go through any of that. _Sweet innocent Anna_. If she allowed herself to reciprocate the younger girl's feelings, she would risk Anna getting chased by pitchforks. They would threaten to burn them both at the stake, and Elsa would not have that. She loved Anna, and loved her too dearly, which was why she needed to keep her true feelings at bay. She knew that if she opened up to her sister, and told her that she felt the same, then Anna would just get hurt in the end. That was something Elsa would not be able to live with.

Anna, like Elsa, also thought about the kiss. She remembered how soft the Queen's lips were, despite their inherent coolness. She thought about how she would love to kiss her sister again, but she knew that it was inappropriate. Besides, Elsa would not approve. Her sister made it clear that she did not feel the same way, and Anna would not force herself on Elsa. She loved Elsa, in more than just a sisterly way, and she would never suppress it, but Anna had to reassure her that her romantic feelings did not have to rip them apart. What she felt was _real,_ that much was sure, but True Love was not selfish. Anna smiled. She finally knew what she had to say.

"Elsa, I…" she started, hoping to get her sister's attention first. When the older girl shyly looked her way, and their eyes locked onto one another, Anna knew that she was doing the right thing. She took a deep breath and continued.

"Elsa, _I love you_ ," she began again, making sure she maintained eye contact to show her sincerity. When the Queen made a move to speak, she held up a hand, hoping she would allow Anna to finish. When Elsa nodded, she spoke again.

"Yes, I love you, Elsa, and part of that love may not be as you would like, but I want you to know that it doesn't have to come between us. You are my sister, and I will always love you as such. You are my family. You're all that I have, and I never wanted to risk what we had when I told you I was in love with you. And I'm sorry for acting impulsively and kissing you without your permission. You have every right to be mad at me. I was just so caught up in the moment. I was so nervous when I told you I loved you, and when you had said it back, I did not even consider that maybe you were just responding the way you always have – that you loved me, yes, but only as your sister. My judgement had been so clouded that I thought maybe you were returning my feelings, and that you meant it the way I did, as more than just family. But now that I realize that you don't feel the same, I feel so embarrassed. I feel so stupid for acting the way I did. I had been selfish, and now I just want to say that it's okay. It's okay if you don't feel the same.

"I-… I know you think it's wrong. I know the world will not accept it, but for me, it just feels so right, like it's the love that I've been looking for all these years. And I _know_ you're my _sister_. To be honest, at first I thought it was just sisterly love, and all this time, I've been desperately trying to figure it out – why I'm always blushing when you kiss me goodnight, why I keep dreaming about you, or why I like staring into your eyes so much that I get lost in them, or why I love watching you do anything, really, or even why I feel a bit of misplaced jealousy every time your advisers tell you about needing to marry or entertaining a suitor. And being with Kristoff, while having all these strange feelings for you, made me realize that what I had with him was not the same as what I wanted with you. I realized that what I was feeling for you was exactly what I should be feeling for him. And when I finally put the pieces together, I knew that I was in love with you, my own _sister_ , and that scared me. I was afraid to accept it myself, but eventually, I couldn't deny it anymore. It was difficult to tell Kristoff too, especially since I had to break up with him, and it was crazy to even tell you, but I knew I needed to. It's True Love, Elsa. There was nothing I could do stop it." When Anna was finally done speaking, it was only then that she realized that tears were running down her cheeks. She wiped them away and looked right back at her sister. Tears were also streaming down from the Queen's beautiful eyes.

"Anna… I-… I'm sorry," Elsa managed to say through the sobs. The Princess had opened her heart out to her, and while she wished she could run to her and tell her that she felt the same way as she kissed those tears away, she knew that she couldn't. She needed to be strong. This was all for Anna. Elsa knew that what she felt for her sister was also True Love, but like Anna said, True Love wasn't selfish. She was doing this because she needed to protect her sister. If they committed incest, they would have to suffer the consequences, and while Elsa was prepared to go through anything for the Princess, she would never want Anna to suffer because of her. It took her a moment to compose herself enough to speak again.

"I never meant to push you away, Anna. I don't want you to think that I love you any less because of this _. I love you._ You're my sister, first and foremost." It was with those words that Elsa gained the courage to step forward and brush the still-flowing tears away from Anna's cheeks, causing the Princess to lean into the touch and close her eyes as her brows furrowed.

"You're my True Love, Elsa," she said, before opening her eyes and looking straight into Elsa's once again.

"And it's okay if I'm not yours. Even if I'm in love with you, you'll always be my sister, before anything else." Anna smiled at her older sister, and Elsa smiled back. She pulled Anna into a tight embrace. _Oh, Anna, I wish I could tell you that you are my True Love, too._ They stayed there for a while, just holding each other close, reassuring one another without words, that despite everything, their bond as sisters would endure. This time, it was Elsa who broke the silence.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Anna. You're my little ray of sunshine," she whispered, giving her sister a gentle squeeze.

"If you need space… If you need me to stay away –"

"No!" Elsa was taken aback when Anna pulled away to cut her off. She calmed down when the Princess' expression softened.

"No, Elsa. I don't want you to leave again. We've spent so many years apart and I don't think I can live with myself if it was my fault that you are running away again. I don't want my feelings to get in the way of what we have now, what we are trying to get back. Please don't isolate yourself, especially when none of this is your fault." Elsa knew she would not be able to say no to that. Like their parents all those years ago, she gave in to Anna's wishes, knowing that together, they could face anything. They were better together, after all. She wasn't as scared when Anna was with her, and Anna wasn't lonely when she was with her. Elsa gave her younger sister a gentle smile as she took Anna's hands in her own.

"Then I'll stay here, with you. Always. _I love you._ " This time, it was Elsa that meant it differently, if only to say it out loud for once. It felt freeing, and she truly wished she could just let it all go. Anna smiled back at Elsa, grateful that her sister would still say such words to her.

"I love you too, Elsa."

_As long as we're together, you and me._


End file.
